


And neither should you

by ONeillwith2ls



Series: Fictober20 [22]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M, Gen, Post-Episode: s08e18 Threads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:00:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27147698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ONeillwith2ls/pseuds/ONeillwith2ls
Summary: The ex and the Mrs--
Relationships: Jack O'Neill/Sara O'Neill, Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Series: Fictober20 [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947181
Comments: 18
Kudos: 76





	And neither should you

**Author's Note:**

> This is the longest (I think) of the fictober ones.
> 
> I actually had this idea a while ago and its been sitting on my computer waiting to be moulded into something I could publish and this gave it life!

“Jack!” Sara smiled as her ex-husband approached her and her now husband. They stood up to greet him. Sara leaned over the table for a moment while they embraced for a second.

“Sara.” He softly as they parted. “Oscar.” Jack smiled, as they shook hands. “How are you doing?” Jack asked. 

“I’m good, Jack.” He smiled. Theirs was an unusual relationship, Oscar acknowledged, with the current husband getting along with the wife’s ex-husband. He knew the divorce hadn’t been because of the lack of love in the relationship. Lack of communication, maybe, and a heart-breaking life-changing event which changed his now wife and her ex-husband for the rest of their lives and shattered their marriage. Now, their relationship was one of friends who were once lovers, sharing a tragic moment, but somehow now the relationship gave them both peace. To be honest, Oscar liked Jack; he was funny. 

“How’s the little one?” Jack asked. “Jessica?”

“She’s great.” Sara smiled, as they sat down. “Five years old and sassy as hell!” She told him.

“Five!” Jack smiled, shaking his head. “Is she a princessy kinda gal?” he asked.

“More like ‘code name: kids next door’ kind of gal.” Oscar smiled.

Jack looked confused before Sara explained “It's a cartoon where kids challenge the adults to get what they want to do.” She smiled at the television programming that kids were watching nowadays.

“Anarchy.” Jack smiled. “Sounds like my kind of gal!” he chuckled. 

“You should drop by and see her again.” Oscar offered. “You haven’t been to the house since she was a baby.” 

Jack nodded, more out of politeness. He could stand Oscar, most the time, but honestly walking into their house, seeing the life they built together, had always twisted at his stomach in the wrong way. 

He was happy for Sara. Honestly, he was, but it only served to remind him what he had lost. Hence why he preferred to meet on neutral ground, like a bowling alley. But now, he knew that discomfort was in his distant past.

"How are you, Jack?” Sara asked him, knowing how hard that line of conversation must be for him.

Jack broke into a wide smile which was unexpected by the other two. “Pretty damn fantastic.” He nodded. “I have to introduce you to someone.” He told them. Jack turned and scanned the room. This made Sara and Oscar look at each other confused for a moment before they saw Jack’s hand beckoning over someone. They both stood up in curiosity.

They could see someone approaching their table. And Sara’s mouth almost dropped at the beauty in blue walking towards them. The first thing Sara noticed were her eyes. 

Big blue and round and full of anticipation, she looked first at Sara and her husband before she looked to Jack where they relaxed a little upon landing on him. Even so, she still nervously approached. As she neared Jack, she flashed Jack a dazzling smile which he returned. Her blond hair was almost a short bob in style, but very choppy in style. She reminded Sara of a pixie, somehow with her cute nose, slim build, and youthful looks.

‘In fact, very youthful,’ Sarah thought to herself. For a fleeting moment, she felt jealous, but that moment passed quickly. Their lives had moved on and there was no attraction from the other party.

“Sara, Oscar.” Jack smiled, putting his arm around the woman proudly, something which made Sara’s eyes almost pop out of her head. Jack never liked to display affection in public before. “I’d like you to meet my wife, Sam.”

Sara looked between the two, almost in awe herself at the sight! He’d said her name with such reverence and the looks he was giving her! He looked at her with genuine smile on his face, as if she was the only one in the room, his lips kissing her briefly first on the lips then when they moved back slightly, he stole a quick kiss on her neck before smiling even wider. The look he gave her! Sara forgot that look, the one where Jack utterly adored someone, but then there was something more to the look they gave each other.

“Hi.” Sam managed, obviously nervous of the situation, turning her attention to Sara, her eyes twinkling as she gave her wide smile.

Oscar managed to break the silence first. “Wife! Oh, wow, Jack!” He exclaimed, reaching over to shake his hand. “Congratulations!” he said.

“Thanks.” Jack smiled happily. It was only then Sara saw the golden band around Jack’s fourth finger on his left hand. Had that been there all along? “Sara?” he asked her nervously, conscious of her silent reaction.

“Married?” Sara whispered, shocked. She wasn’t expecting him to move on.

“Yeah.” Jack confirmed, his heart racing inside wondering how Sara was going to react. Would it be different when she told Jack about marrying Oscar? Never in the eight years since they divorced had he even hinted at remarriage – no mention of dating either -- and now he was springing this on her. He hoped Sara wasn’t mad at him for not saying anything about Sam, but they did not make a conscious effort to call each other to share life stories. “It… kind of happened really fast.” He admitted.

Sara looked at Sam again almost inspecting her features. Sara could tell that Sam looked nervous, but there was something familiar about her. 

“Have we met?” Sara asked her.

“Um, well, technically yes.” Sam managed.

“Sam was on my team seven and a half years ago when...”

“Oh!” Sarah exclaimed, knowing she couldn’t let Jack finish his sentence. Oscar didn’t know what had happened a matter of months before they met. 

“Yeah.” Jack confirmed.

“Hold on. She’s your second, right?” Sara asked.

“Yeah.” Jack confirmed.

“I thought there was a rule to...” Sara started.

“No, no.” Jack shook his head. “No, um, there were changes. She’s not in my chain of command when we married.” He confirmed.

“Oh.” Sara said, surprised. 

“Here, Jack,” Oscar said to him, trying to take away some tension from the group. “Come and help me get the drinks for the ladies.” He said, Jack nodded in acknowledgement before Oscar asked Sara, “Red Wine?” to which she nodded.

“Beer?” Jack nuzzled into Sam, remembering that Sara had loved a red wine to wind down with. It was always the most elitist wine too, very high society stuff which he used to tease her about before he’d settle with his beer. Oh yes, Sam was definitely on his level with alcohol.

“Several.” Sam nodded in jest. Jack smiled as he nodded and whispered something in her ear which seemed to relax the younger woman. When Oscar had rounded the table towards the bar. Jack let his hand drop from the back of Sam’s waist and approached the bar with Oscar.

“You got married fast.” Sara nodded, gesturing for Sam to take a seat while the men were getting drinks.

“Frat rules don’t apply when the General is based at The Pentagon and he’s out of your chain of command.” Sam answered as she sat down.

“General?” Sara asked, surprised.

Sam smiled. “Two stars.”

“Wow!” she gasped. “I didn’t know.”

“I can only imagine what you must think.” Sam said, biting back her worry. “We fell in love somewhere in those eight years I was under his command.” She admitted softly. “Don’t ask me when because I don’t know when it was, whether it was simultaneously with each other or if one of us fell for the other first, but it happened.” Sam sighed. “We never acted on those feelings, ever, in those years,” Sam stopped in thought. “Maybe we were a little close for a CO and a 2IC but admitting how we felt was impossible.” She shrugged. “There were glimmers, moments, really when the emotions were so high, when we really thought we could lose the other...” She shrugged. “The most we could have was a wanting look and a forbidden hug.”

Sara felt awful all of a sudden. Sam might be a bit young for Jack, but she could see right there in that moment that Sam’s feelings for her ex were deep and genuine. She was honestly happy that Jack had moved on. But a part of her was jealous that her place in his life was gone. 

“But once we got together, we didn’t want to let go of this.” Sam said quietly, “And work would have got in the way all over again.” She said sadly. “We didn’t want this to end.” Sam admitted. “Ever.” She added softly on the end.

Sara swallowed at the women’s admission. She was clearly besotted. “You don’t know everything about him.” She warned her cautiously.

“Yes, I do.” The younger woman said confidently. 

“Maybe about now, but not his classified work in the past.” Sara said, “He can’t share it with anyone. Not even with me. It was always a secret.”

“He didn’t – share it I mean,” Sam told her, “but I know.” 

Sara looked shocked, surprised at the younger woman’s confidence. “Everything?” she questioned. “I thought even seconds didn’t know everything about their CO’s.” 

“Most don’t,” Sam admitted, “but I’ve read his classified file.”

“How?” Sara asked shocked.

“I know how not to get caught.” Sam admitted but didn’t reveal how she knew. “Jack knows I know. I couldn’t keep that from him.”

Sara nodded. “So, he can tell you everything.” She said sadly. 

Sam bit her lip. “But he knows he doesn’t need to.” She added. “I can know what happened without him breaking any rules or feeling as though he can’t tell me because of the classified status.”

Sara looked sad. “So you know everything. I mean he can share anything with you?” When Sam nodded, Sara suddenly reached out and put her hand was on top of Sam’s. Sam looked shocked at their hands. “You’ll take care of him, won’t you?” she asked Sam.

Sam smiled, knowing it was coming from the part of Sara’s heart which belonged to Jack. “Always.” 

“Good.” Sara smiled, not knowing the full extent to the word ‘always’ between her ex and Sam. “So, you’re still military?” 

“Yes.” Sam smiled, finally a conversation she was comfortable with. 

“You were a captain the last time we met, yes?” Sara asked.

“Yeah, it was a little while ago.” Sam chuckled and nodded.

“Been promoted?” she asked.

“A couple of times.” Sam answered. “Lieutenant Colonel.”

“Wow!” Sara said, impressed. “Bit young, aren’t you?” she questioned, trying to see just how much younger Sam was to her husband.

Sam chuckled. “Nice way of finding out how much younger I am to Jack.” Sam acknowledged without malice. “I was born in sixty-eight.” 

“Fifteen years!” Sara exclaimed, surprised. “Wow!” 

“And, um, as for my promotions… well, this last one was down to him. You’ll have to ask him why.” Sam shrugged. “It was his first order of business when he was promoted to Brigadier.” 

Sara nodded before she decided to ask Jack more later, “So, Lieutenant Colonel means you have at least a master's degree?” Sara asked her.

Sam smiled “PhD in theoretical physics.”

“Oh, so you’re a scientist on his team?”

“Oh no, she’s a kick ass officer to boot, too.” Jack said, coming back to the table and passing his wife a beer which she gratefully took, his arm dropping down on to her shoulder as he stood next to her.

“No?” Oscar asked, returning clearly more comfortable than before. “You look to...” the man paused seeing three pairs of eyes homed in on the almost sexist remark. “I mean....” Oscar continued before he paused and turned back completely. “You know what I’m not going to finish that sentence.” He said, shaking his head when both Sam and Jack’s serious faces turned to grins. 

“I don’t look the type to be kick ass?” Sam asked, her best challenging authority voice on. 

“She can take on and beat about 95% of the men in the SGC, that’s at least 50 men.” Jack admitted proudly, “Both in battle and on the mats.” He grinned.

Even Sara looked surprised at this. “But you’re tiny!” 

“Yes, but she’d be mighty!” Jack said, still looking at his wife. Sara realized that Jack was as besotted as Sam. He had barely taken his eyes off Sam from when she entered the room, Sara was in the happy position of seeing the bar from where she was standing, peering over Sam’s shoulder she’d seen the smouldering looks Jack had been giving Sam from a distance.

“Well, I learned from the best.” Sam smiled.

Sara knew enough to read into that. Jack had trained her. 

“You any good at pool?” Oscar asked Sam.

“Yousurebettcha.” Sam replied, the phrase not unfamiliar to Sara, his vocabulary had entered hers already... no, not already they’d known each other a long time, it had probably subconsciously entered into her vocabulary a long time ago.

“Game?” he asked her, to which Sam nodded. Both Oscar and Sam moved towards the pool table.

“She’s going to whoop his ass?” Sara asked Jack, gesturing that he sits down.

“Yousurebettcha.” He reflected Sam’s words with a smile, as he took a seat at the table where he can still watch the pool game.

Sara smiled pensively. “You’re happy.” She observed.

He nodded. “I thought when we split up and we lost Charlie, that was it, my chance of happiness gone.” 

“You deserve happiness.” Sara smiled. “When I left you...” she said slowly, “I thought I couldn’t help you find it anymore.” She sighed heavily. “It hurt.”

“I was drowning, Sara.” He said quietly. “That program… it saved me.” He confessed. “Not just her, but she’s a big part of it.” With the words out of his mouth, they could hear Sam had started the game pocketing two balls in the action. Sara and Jack chuckled before Jack commented, “Ouch!” as he saw Oscar’s face fall. 

Sara laughed. “She’s good.”

“It’s a game of physics.” Jack smiled happily. “She could tell you the whole theory behind it. She loves real life games of physics.” 

“She says she’s an physicist?” Sara asked him.

“Yeah. An astrophysicist.” He said, his eyes not leaving Sam, watching her again easily pot another ball. 

“Smart.” Sara said.

“Yup.” Jack said a smile Sara knew was his ‘I’m turned on but don’t want anyone to know’ smile.

“Young.” Sara commented, before Jack tore his eyes from his wife now looking at Sara.

“It doesn’t bother her.” Jack said to her.

“It bothers you?” Sara asked.

“I wonder what the hell she’s doing with a loser like me.” He admitted with a huge sigh something which made Sara look to him concerned. “Look at her, Sara, she’s stunning.”

Sara’s smile returned. “I noticed.”

“I learned very recently the effects of what would happen if I let Sam go.” He said, shaking his head. Sara looked confused as he told her. “She was engaged to someone else. We’d had unspoken feelings for so long, she finally thought she needed to let them go.” He told her softly. “I saw her fall for another man. I became angry, agitated. I withdrew inside myself; I didn’t want to carry on.”

“I know that man.” Sara argued. “But I’ve seen you during the past two years or so and you never let that man show. You hid it so well that I had no idea.”

“No one knew. Some people knew I was hurting but they didn’t draw attention to it.” He told her. “I just carried on like a good Colonel--” He took a drag of his beer.

“General.” She called him out a smile on her face.

“What?” he asked innocently.

“You can’t play that card with me Jack--” she said rolling her eyes “Two star General. Jack why did you not tell me?”

“It’s no big deal.” He shrugged.

“Its a huge deal and I’m proud of you.” she smiled “I bet those stars look good.”

Jack nodded and turned the conversation back “She called off her engagement after her father died. It wasn’t because he had died. She had figured out it just wasn’t going to work with the guy.”

“You hated him.” Sara observed.

“Of course, I did. He took away Sam.” Jack stated before chuckling. “I did try to hide it from her, pretended like I was okay with it all.” He took a deep breath in. “I thought the same as you. She was young. She deserves someone who could give her stability, support, love, children. At the time, I was in love with her but still her commanding officer. We couldn’t… I wouldn’t take it further.”

“It killed you.” Sara nodded.

“I know what you must think. What people must think. Me? I can’t believe how lucky I am.” He smiled as Sam pocketed another ball.

“How long have you loved her?” Sara asked him.

He shrugged. “Dunno.” He admitted. “I can’t remember...” He bit his lip and looked down quietly.

Sara smiled. “That’s what she said.” 

“I can give her all that I am.” He said quietly.

Sara smiled sadly. A silence fell at the table, but she finally spoke. “I think about us, sometimes. We had a lot of good times, but it still hurts to think about them."

"Yeah."

"The good times see me though, but the bad hurts-- So I remember the good--remember I deserve to be happy and I try not to dwell there, in the dark and the pain--" She paused and looked him in the eyes. " **And neither should you** ." She looked over at Sam at the pool table and then back to Jack. "Besides I'm one person who knows what it’s like to be married to Jack O’Neill. She is a very lucky woman."

Jack smiled and reached round and gave her a hug. "I love you, Sara." He whispered. 

"I love you too, Jack. Congratulations."

Jack knew that their love for each other was now platonic, whose place was in the past with no place in the future. And they were content to leave it there.

“So I can give her some hints and tips about being your wife--” Sara said with a cheeky smile.

“Um---She’s doing a great--” Jack said confused.

“Oh I think I could tell her a thing or two.” Sarah grinned “about beer, a pink plastic flamingo and a telegraph pole.”

“Sara no!” he said clearly irked. “You wouldn’t--” she walked away towards the pool table “Sara--”

He smiled getting up, he knew his present and future laid with Sam. And there was nowhere else he rather be.


End file.
